I never suggested any different. And it certainly has no bearing on what it how I shoot.

The point is more that it has to meet my own standard. That standard certainly isn't absolute--all kinds of things go by the wayside when judging an individual photograph, blown highlights, less than perfect focus, composition issues--you name it.

But it is a little difficult to contemplate releasing photograph where you can tell that the focus was intended to be on X, and instead the focus is clearly on Y. Unless it produced a serendipitous result.

The point is that, in his case, the buyer was wiser than the photographer.. too many photographers look at their photographs from a technical aspect rather than artistic or emotional.

The non-photographers or print buyers are the final jury. We, as photographers, are way too critical of our own work and we more often than not are too blind to see it.

Pixel-peeping is just another variation of not being able to see the forest for the trees.

This little sub-discussion reminds me of some pianists who were listening to the performance of a fellow colleague, only to find it full of mistakes, bad phrasing, lack of dynamics, and botched tempi, and on their way out overhearing a couple of grandmothers gush about how great the show was.

If anything, this serves as a counterpoint (heh) to the OP. Someone who doesn't have full control of their instrument cannot sufficiently convey his emotions. The general public are mostly undiscerning. Just look at the best selling artists.